Ribbon-feeding mechanism.



H. c. GAMMETER.

RIBBON FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLICATION FILED DEG.16,1907.

Patented July 11,

4 SHEETS-SHEET 1.

1 villi/III! III!!- I H. 0. GAMMETER.-

RIBBON FEEDING MECHANISM.

v APPLICATION FILED BBQ 16, 1907. 997,287.

Patented July 11, 1911..

4 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

' 1 w Q Q 5 i It"? I w 'i H. 0. GAMMETER,

RIBBON FEEDING MECHANISM.

APPLIGATION FILED DBG.16,1907.

Patented July 11, 1911.

4 SHEETS-SHEET 4.

UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE. HARRY-.G. emimmnn or COLLINWOOD, orrro, ASSIGNORTQ THE AMERICAN MULTI- GItArH oorcranr, or CLEVELAND, 01110, A CORPORATION or OHIO.

RIBBON-FEEDING MECHANISM.

I Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented July 11,1911.

Applieationfiled December 16, 1907. Serial No. 406,678.

To all whom it my concern: l l Beit known that I, HARRY C. GAMMETER,

residing at Collinwood, in the county of 'eflicient combination with a rotary printer,

or a printlng meehanlsm whlch carries a. page form, using an 1nk1ng ribbon, of.

mechanism for feeding such ribbon and for zi utom'atically reversingthe direction of the eed. My mechanism is particularly well adapted for embodiment in a printing machine having a rotary drum carrying two spools onwhich the ends of the ribbon are Wound. The feeding mechanism is carried partly by such drum and partly by a stationary memher, so that the rotation oflthe drum automatically causes the feeding of the ribbon, and when either spool becomes empty the mechanism is automatically shifted to drive the other. spool.

The invention consists in the means by which this result is accomplished. This is illustrated in the embodiment hereinafter described and is summarized in the claims.

- My divisional application No. 418,657, filed March 2, 1908, covers the ribbon feeding and reversing mechanism of this application in its broad aspect and irrespective of its combination with a printing mechanism. The present patent is concerned with the combination of the ribbon feeding and reversing mechanism with a printing mechanism, as above referred to. i i In the drawings, Figure 1 is afront elevation of a rotary printing machine vwhich may embody my feeding mechanism; Fig. 2 is an enlarged view of the ribbon spools with their supports and holding springs; Fig. 3

I a vertical section through the right hand j frame member of the machine and the ad'- jacent end of the drum; Fig. 4 is an elevation of the right handend member of the drum which carries the feeding mechanism, this view being taken looking from; the interior of the drum; Fig.- 5 is an outside end view of the drum sectionedthrough the sta; tionary eccentric on' the frame member; Figs. 6 and 7 are portions of similar views m different positions. The remaining figures- Referring to the parts by reference numerals, 20 represents the frame of the machine which is shown as having a pair. of vertical end plates 21 and 22. Mounted in these plates is the shaft 23 which carries the printing drum, the drum having spider-like end members 24 and25 and having a partial cylindrical surface 26 on which are longitudinal rails 27 forming undercut channels adapted to carry rowsof individual grooved type. A crank 28 furnishes means for rotating the .drum. Beneath the drum is a rotary platen 30 connected with the drum by gears 31 and 32.

'85 and 36 represent the ribbon spools which occupy a recess in the drum. The ends of the ribbon are secured, to these spools, for example, by means of troughshaped clamps 38 springing into slots in the spools. The ribbon passes from one spool around the surface of the drum and over the type to the other spool. Accordingly, if the drum be rotated by the crank and paper be 1 fed to the contacting line of'the drum and platen, the same will be printed by successive lines of type through the, ribbon. The type may well have a face similar to typewriter type, in which case the rolling. contact through the ribbon produces an al-. most exact imitation of typewritten work, the irregularities resultingfrom the type being somewhat looselyheld, on the drum heightening thisefiect. f To present a fresh face to the type for successive impressions, I provide mechanism to gradually rotate either ribbon spool. As- I shown, this'mechani'sm includes a air of ratchet wheels 40 and 41 adapted to e connected with the respective spools by lugs 4.2

engaging openings infthe spool heads39. Fig. 8 illustrates such ratchet wheel 40. The spools are. ressed toward. the ratchets by a spring 33 (Fig. 2) forcing inward the'pi'ns' 34 of which the spools hear at thatend. A

stationary eccentric 44, formed as aboss on the inner side ofthe frame inember 22, operates intermediate mechanism carried'by the end member. 24 of the drum and traveling around with the drum and reciprocated in and out radially by such eccentric to operate the corresponding spool. Such mechanism is covered broadly in my copending applitomatic reversal.

cation No. 240,167. The present emb,odi-' each of these prior inventions, in providing an effective and certain mechanism for changing the direction of drive as soon as either spool becomes empty. I will now proceed to describe the mechanism which efiects the ribbon drive and allows this an- 45 indicates an eccentric strap surrounding the stationary eccentric 44. At its outer end this strap extends around a pin 46 projecting from a bar 47, the lower end .of which okes around the shaft 23 having a parallel sided elongated opening 48 which engages a guiding bushing 49' on the shaft.

Fig. 9 shows the eccentric strap and Fig. 10 the bar. Near its outer end this bar 47 carries a block 51 slidably engaging a radial pin 52 carried by the end member 24 of the drum, the result. beingthat this bar is reciprocated radially as the drum rotates.

Pivoted to the bar 47 by the pin 55 is a plate 56 in the form shown in Fig. 14, the pin passing through an opening 53 in the plate. Pivoted to this plate on the opposite sides ofits pivot are two pawls 57 and 58in the formshown in Fig. 13. The lower ends of these pawls are given a tendency to move toward each other by a spring 60 connected to such lower ends. Mounted on the pivot pins 61 of these pawls are short rock arms 63, of the form shown in Fig. 12, each rock arm having a lug adapted to engage the outer side of the respective pawl 57'or 58. These two rock arms are constrained toward each other by a spring 65 which is materially stronger than the spring 60. The upper end of the bar 47 is bent "parallel therewith, after the manner of an inverted U, as shown at 67 in Fig. 10. Between this bent over portion and thebody-of the bar is a roller 68 (shown detached in Fig. 11) which is adapted to lie in either of two recesses 70 in the plate 56, theroller being, constrained; inwardly radially by' means of a spring 72, anchored on the pin 55 and connected at its outer end with a hook 73(passing through a slot 74 in the bent over en 67 of the bar 47 and passing into a central opening in the roller 68.

The operation of the above described construction is as follows: When the plate 56 is in either extreme position, itis normally held by the roller 68 and the spring 72, and

accordingly reciprocates as one with the bar 47, this reciprocation causing the corresponding pawl 57 or 58 to engage the teeth of the corres onding ratchet and feed the same when t e bar moves inward. The spring 65 acting on the rock arms 63 prevents the pawls normally passing outwardly beyond the limits provided by the lugs 64, so that the unengaged pawl is normally idle. The'engaged pawlvmay swing inwardly, as the convexity of the ratchet moves it; away from thelug, the spring60 allowing this result. As s'hownin, Figs. 4 and 5, the pawl 57 is in position to engage the ratchet 40. If, however, the roller 68 were in engagement with the other, notch 70', the member 56 would be positioned so that the pawl 58 would bein position to ehgage the ratchet 41, the other pawl being idle. A projecting lip 75 at the upper end of the plate'56 furnishes a'handle by which it may be shifted by the operators fingers into either position to set the direction of the drive as desired. The peculiar advanta e, however, of my driving mechanism is its automatically reversing feature. This operates as follows: When either ribbon spool becomes full, as, for example, the spool 35 connected with the ratchet 40, the: pawl operating therewith, for example 57, is retarded on its inward stroke by reason of the stretched ribbon (held by the empty spool) preventing the ratchet rotating. This retardation anchors, as it' were, the pivot 61 of the pawl so that on the continued movement of the bar and plate 56, this plate swings about such pin as a pivot and thereby passes over to its other extreme osit-ion, the roller 68 being forced outward slightly and passing into the other depression 70. The describe movement, however, cannot take'place until the driving pawl, as 57, has a firm hold on its ratchet and is held thereto by the back lash of the ratchet teeth and the pawl nose. Accordingly, when the plate 56 swings over to the other extreme position, the engaged pawl, as 57, does not immediately swing with it but retains its engagement with the former ratchet wheel, the spring 65 expanding to allow such movement. The other pawl, as 58, comes intoengagement with its wheel, and, accordingly, the driving mechanism is connected with both wheels, and the rest of the inward movement winds in bothpawl, as-57, releases itshold on the ratchet,

and then, by reason of the contraction of the 5 ring 65, swings backwardly into idle posi-.

tion, wherefore the continued niovement operates the newly engaged ratchet only. It is to be understood that the effective driving movement of the mechanism takes place while the recess inwhich the spools are mounted is moving past the platen. The eccentric 44 extends in suchdirection that while the type portion of the drum is mov- 1ng past the platen, the driving mechanism is either moving outwardly or moving inwardly but beyond the ratchets. The outer movement occupies half the rotation and the idle inward movementsubstantially a quarterof the rotation so that the effective inward movement, which is the last half of the total inward movement, is'substantially -,fo1 a quarter rotation.

Figs. 5, 6 and? illustrate the position of the drum 'whenthe automatic shifting may take place, these views being taken looking at the end of the drum from the right hand with the parts traveling in the direction of y the arrows. It will be seen that in Fig. 6, 5 the driving-mechanism is moving outwardly,

then afterit leaves the upper left hand portion' of the circle it begins to move inwardly,

the actual engagement takingplace as the mechanism is leaving the lower left hand portion of the circle. If on such engagement one of the spoolsis empty, thedriving mech-- anism will come into the position shown in Fig. 6, where the pawls engage both ratchets and-where the ribbon is pulled from both directions. This pull will continue until the driving fmechanism has entered the lower right hand portion of the circle. Then, as the mechanism is moving upwardly, it moves outwardly so that, as it comes into 0 the position shown in Fig. 7 in the-upper right hand portion of the circle, the former pawl releases its hold on the former ratchet,

and the mechanism is thus completely reversed, ready for successive subsequent feed ing on the new ratchet.

I claim: Y

1. The combination with a movable printing mechanism adapted-to carry a page form and print through a ribbon, of a pair of rib- 0 bon spools carried by said movable mech a nism, a pair of independent driving members therefor, a member mounted on' a movable pivot and carrylng the driving members,

means for, moving such pivot, and spring detent mechanism tending to hold such carrying member? in either of two active ositions, whereby theremay be automatics lift ing of the drive from one spoolto the other.

2. The combination with a movable print- 0 ing mechanism adapted to carry a page form and print through a ribbon, of a pair of ribbonv spools 'carri'edby said movable mecha nism, a pair of independently pivoted driving pawls therefor, and a .member on which 5 the pawls are pivoted, the said member be ing itself pivoted on an axis parallel with the pawl pivots and with its cooperating parts constituting an automatic mechanism for shifting the drive from one spool tothe othe'r. I 3. Thecombination with'a movable printing mechanism adapted to carry a page form and print'through a ribbon, of a pair of wheels carried by said movable mechanism;-

5 a pair of pawls for driving the same, a. driv I wheel.

ing mechanism carryingsaid pawls by means of a member mounted on a movable pivot and means for automatically changing the presentation of the driving mechanism to present either pawl to the corresponding 4. The combination with a movable print-- ing mechanism adapted to carry a page form and print through a ribbon, of a pairof ratchet wheels carried by said movable mechanism, a pair of independently pivoted-pawlsfor driving the same, and means for auto-- matically changing the presentation of the driving mechanism-by mutually shifting the pawl pivots in the planes of the ratchet wheels to present either pawl to the corre' sponding wheel.

, 5. The combination witha printing mechanismadapted to carry *apageform andprint through a ribbon, of a pair of wheels, a pair of pawls for driving the same, and

means for automatically changing the presentation of the driving mechanism to present either pawl to the corresponding i wheel, said means during such change ,cau sing both pawls to engage bothwheels.

- 6. The combination with -a movable printing mechanism adapted to carry a page form and print through a ribbon, of a pair of ribbon spoolscarriedby said movable mechanism, a pair of independently pivoted pawls for'driving them, means for normally holding either pawl in position to operate the correspond-ing spool, and .means operated. automaticallyby the anchoringyof-a pawl. A

consequent upon a spooljbeco'ming emptyto shiftfthe driving mechanism to bring the other pawl into cooperation with the empty spool. w

7. The'combination with a printing mechanism' adapted ,to carry a page .form and print through a ribbon, of a .pair of spools,

a pair of independently pivoted driving pawls,-anda pivoted member on'which said pawls are mounted on opposite sides of its, pivot, whereby the retardation of either 9 pawl may shift the member to. bring the other pawl. into engagement with the other wheelf 8. The combination with a movable printing mechanism adapted to carry a page form and print through a ribbon, of a air of spools carriedby said movable mec anism, a pair of independently pivoted driving pawls, a pivoted member on which said pawls are mounted on o posite sidesof its pivot, the pivots of .sai member and said pawls being all substantiall arallel, and a spring detent for normal y olding said member ineither extreme position.

9. The combination with a printing mechanism adapted to carry a page form and print through a ribbon, of a pair of-whee1s-,a

pair of pawls adapted to engage their re- .sp'ective wheels, 21' pivoted member carrying said pawls and adapted'to beheld with either pawl in position to cotiperate-Iwithits corresponding wheel, the stoppage of either pawl causing the member to shift on its pivot 'to bring the other pawl into engagement with the other wheel.

10. The combination. with a. printing mechanism adapted to carry a page ,form and print through a ribbon, of a pair of wheels, a pair of pawls adapted to engage their respective wheels, and a movable member carrying said pawls, and adapted to be held with either pawl in position to cooperate with .its corresponding wheel, said member being formed to allow both pawls to simultaneously engage with both wheels.

11. The combination with a printing mechanism adapted to carry a page form and print through a ribbon, of a pair of wheels, a reciprocating member, a bodily movable member pivotally carried thereby,

a pair. of pawls pivotally mounted on said pivoted member on opposite sides 0 its pivot, said pawls being adapted to engage said wheels respectively. 1 I 12. The combination with a printing mechanism adapted to carry a page form and print through a ribbon, of a pair of wheels, a reciprocating member, a bodily movable plate pivoted thereto, and a pair of pawls pivotally mounted on said plate, said pawls being adapted to engage said wheels respectively. 7

13. The combination with a printing mechanism adapted to carry a page form and print through a ribbon, of a pair of wheels, a reciprocatingmember, a bodily movable pivoted'member carried thereby, a pair ofpawls pivotally mounted on said pivoted member, said pawls being adapted to engage said wheels respectively, and spring mechanism adapted to hold the idle pawl in idle position but allowing it to be moved against the action ofthe spring to M engage the corresponding wheel.

'14. The combination .with a printing mechanism adapted to print by rolling contact through an inking ribbon, of apair of ratchet wheels. a pair of pawls, means giving said pawls a tendency to move outwardly, movable stops limiting the outward movement, and means holding said stops in normal position.

15. The combination with a printing mechanism adapted to print by rolling contact through an inking ribbon, of a pair of ratchet wheels, a pair of pivoted pawls, a spring connecting said pawls and giving them a tendency to move outwardly, stops limiting the outward movement, and a spring holding said stops in normal position.

16. The combination with a printing I mechanism adapted to print by rolling contact through an inking ribbon, of a pair of ratchet wheels adapted to be connected with a pair of ribbon spools, a reciprocating member, a bodily movable pivoted member thereon, a pair of pawls pivotally mounted on said pivoted member and adapted to engage the respective ratchet wheels, and means tending to move said pawls outwardly.

17. The combination with a printing mechanism adapted to print by rolling contact through an inking ribbon, of a pair of ratchet wheels adapted to be connected with a pair of ribbon spools, a reciprocating member, a pivoted memberthereon, a pair of pawls pivotally mounted on said pivoted member on opposite sides of its pivot and adapted to engage the respective ratchet wheels, and a spring tending to move said pawls outwardly.

18'. The combination with a printing mechanism adapted to carry a page form and print through a ribbon, of a reciprocating member, a pivoted member mounted thereon, a pair of pawls pivotally carried by said pivoted member, means tending to forcesaid pawls outwardly, and spring controlled restraining means elastically limiting the outward movement of the pawls with reference to the member on which they are pivoted.

19. The combination with .a printing mechanism adapted to printby rolling contact through an inking ribbon, of a pair of ratchet wheels adapted to be connected with a pair of ribbon spools, a reciprocating member, a pivoted member thereon, a pair of pawls pivotally mounted on said pivoted member and adapted to engage the respective ratchet wheels, and a spring tending to move said pawls outwardly, and a pair of rock arms pivotally carried also by said pivoted member, said rock' arms having lugs providing stops for the pawls, and a spring connecting said rock arms, said spring being stronger than the spring connecting the pawls.

20. The combination with a printing mechanism adapted to carry a page form and print through a ribbon, of a reciprocating member, a pivoted member mounted thereon. means mounted on one of said members and adapted to occupy either of two recesses in the other member, a spring for constraining said means, and a pair of pawls pivotally carried by said pivoted member.

21. The combination with a printing mechanism adapted to carry a page form and print through a ribbon, of a pair of ratchet wheels, a reciprocating member, a pivoted member mounted thereon, a roller guided by the reciprocating member adapted to occupy either of two recessesin the pivoted member, a spring for constraining said roller. and a pair of pawls pivotally carried by said pivoted member and adapted to engage said wheels respectively.

22. Thecombination with a printing mechanism adapted to carry a page form and printthroughla ribbon, of a reciprocating member, a pivoted member mounted thereon, a roller guided by the reciprocating member adapted to occupy either oi tworecesses in the pivoted member, a spring for constraining said roller,=and a pair of pawls pivotally carried by said pivoted member,

' for normally holding either means tending to force said 'pawls'outwa-rdly, the spring controlled restraining means for the pawls.

23. The combination of a rotary printing drum, a pair of spools, a pair of independently pivoted pawls mounted therein, means awl in posi-' tion to operate the corresponding spool, and means operated automatically by a spool becoming non-rotatable to shift the driving mechanism to bring the otherpawl into cooperation with the other spool.

'24. The combination-of .a rotary printing drum, a pair'of spools mounted therein, a pair of independently pivoted driving pawls, and a pivoted member onwhich said pawls are mounted on opposite sides of its pivot, whereby the retardation of either pawl may shift the member to bring/the other pawl into engagement .with theother wheel;

25. The combination of a rotary printing drum, a pair of wheels mounted "therein, a

pair of pawls adapted to engage their respective wheels, a pivoted member carrying said pawls and adapted to be held with either pawlin position to cooperate with its corresponding wheel, the stoppage of either pawl causing. the memberato shift on its pivot to' bring the other pawl into engagement with the other wheel;

.26. The combination. of a rotary printing drum, ofa pair of Wheels mounted therein,

a pair of pawls adaptedto engage their respective -wheels, and a movable member carrying said pawls and adapted to'be held with either pawl in position to cooperate with its correspondingwheel, said member being formed to allow both pawls to simultaneously engage with both wheels.

- the idle pawl in idle position butallowing it to'be moved against the action of the spring to engage the corresponding wheel,

' q and means for reciprocating said reciprocatoing member. I .i

" -28. The combination'of a rotary printing '1 drum, a pair of ratchet wheels mounted therein, a 'pair of pivoted pawls, aspring' connecting .said' pawls and givingthem a tendency to move outwardly, stops limiting adapted to' engage the v respective ratchetwheels, a spring tending to move said pawls outwardly, and a stationary eccentric for operating said reciprocating member,

- -30, The combination of a rotary printing drum, a reciprocating member mounted therein; a pivoted member mounted thereon, a pair of pawls pivotally carriedby said pivoted member, means tending to force said pawls outwardly, and spring controlled restraining means for the pawls.

31. The combination of a rotary printing drum having a recess, a pair of ratchet wheels mountedtherein and adapted to be connected with a pair of ribbon spools, a reciprocating member, a pivoted member thereon, a pair ofpawls pivot-ally ni'ounted on said pivotedmember and adapteii toengage the respective ratchet wheelsga spring tending to move said pawls outwardly, a pair of rock arms pivotal'ly carriedfalso by said pivoted member, said rock ia'rms having,

lugs providing stops for the pawls, a spring connect-ing'said rock arms, said spring be-- ing stronger than the spring connecting the pawls, a platen; and means .for moving said a reciprocating member inwardly while the recess in'the drum is moving past the platen.

32. The combination of a rotary printing drum, a reciprocating member mounted .therein, a pivoted member mounted thereon, a roller guided'by one -of said members and adapted to occupyeitherof two'recesses in 1 the other member, a spring for constraining said roller,.a pair of pawls pivotally carried by said pivoted member, and a stationary eccentric for member, a

. 33. The combination of a rotary print-ingthe reciprocating member adapted to occupy either of two recesses in the pivoted member, a spring for constraining said roller,-a pair of pawls pivotally'carried by said pivoted member and adapted to engage said wheels respectively, and means for reciprocating said reciprocating member.

34. The combination of a rotary printing drum, a reciprocatin member mounted therein, a pivoted mem er mounted-thereon, a roller gulded'by the'reciprocating member adapted to occupy either-of two recesses in the pivoted member, 'a sprin for constraining said roller, a pair of paw s pivotally caroperating said reciprocating ried by said pivoted member, means tending toforce said pawls outwardly, a spring controlled rest-raining means for the pawls, and means for reciprocating said reciprocating member.

35. The combination of a 'rotary drum having a recess, a pair of ribbon spools mounted therein, a ratchet wheel for each spool, a radially reciprocating bar carried by the drum, a member pivotally mounted for swinging said pawls on their pivots, andv elastic means for llmitlng such movement of the pawls. a

37. The combination of printing mechanism adapted to carry a page form and print through a ribbon, of spools for carrying the ribbon, wheels for rotating said spools, a pivoted member, apair of pawls pivoted to the pivoted member, spring means for swinging said pawls ontheir pivots, and elastic means for limiting such movement of the pawls. 38. The combination with a printing mechanism adapted to carry apage form and print through a ribbon, of spools for carrying the ribbon, wheels for rotating said spools, a pair of pivoted pawls, spring means for swinging said pawls on their pivots, and elastic means for limiting such movement of the pawls.

39. The combination of a rotary printing drum, a pair of pivoted pawls carried thereby, means for swinging said pawls on their pivots, elastic meansfor limiting such movement of the pawls, and ribbon feeding mechanism operated by said pawls.

40. The combination of a rotary printing drum, a pivoted member carried thereby, a

pair of pawls pivoted to the pivoted member, spring means for swinging said pawls .on their pivots, elastically held means for limiting such movement of the pawls, and ribbon feeding mechanism operated by said pawls.

4:1. The combination of a rotary printing drum, a reciprocating member carried there by, a member pivoted to the reciprocating member, a pair of pawls pivoted to the pivoted member, means for swinging said pawls on their pivots, elastic means for limiting such movement of the pawls, and ribbon feeding mechanism operated by said pawls.

42. The combination of a rotary printing drum, a stationary eccentric surrounding the axis of the drum, an eccentric strap surrounding the eccentric, a reciprocating bar mounted on the drum and connected with said strap, a plate pivoted to said bar, a pair of pawls pivoted to said plate, spring means tending to swing said pawls on their pivots, elastic means for limiting such movement of the pawls, and ribbon feeding mechanism operated by said pawls.

43. The combination with a printing mechanism adapted to carry 'a page form and print through 'a ribbon, of a pair of ratchet wheel's, a pair of pawls, means for giving said pawls a tendency to move toward the ratchet wheels, movable means for limiting such movement, and elastic means for restraining said Iriovable means.

44. The combination with a printing mechanism adapted to carry a page form and print through a ribbon, of a pair of ribbon carrying spools and a pair of ratchet wheels therefor respectively, a pair of pawls for driving the respective .ratchets, spring means for giving said pawls a tendency to move toward the ratchets, movable stops for limiting such movement, and spring means for yieldingly holding said stops in normal position.

Intestimony whereof, I hereunto aflix my signature in the presence ofvtwo witnesses.

HARRY C. GAMMETER.

Witnesses:

DAVID FITZSIMMONS, RUSSELL WATERS. 

